Britain, considered liberal in their policy of granting visas to activists and radicals of the world, was the place from where large chunks of funds for maintaining terrorism infrastructure came.

"Since long, Britain and many other European countries were the playground of many terrorist organisations. It was the base for radical individuals. Now, UK turned into the battleground," said M J Gohil, London-based leading terrorism expert of the Asia Pacific Foundation, an independent intelligence think-tank.

Speaking exclusively to rediff.com, Gohil said that for a long time it was known to British intelligence and Scotland Yard that terrorist attacks were possible.

"Since 9/11, more than 600 people have been arrested in Britain. The police has been, 99% of the time, efficient in thwarting many terrorist attempts."

Gohil believes that the bomb blasts in London does carry fingerprints of Al Qaeda. He said, "It's carried on by people bonded by a common ideology who are out to hit democratic secular countries."

He assured that Britishers will stand up to the occasion. "Britishers are not new to terrorism. They have experienced the violence of the Irish Republican Army. They know what it means. They will be afraid," Gohil said.

"Life will be disturbed for sometime. But this time, we are fighting an invisible enemy. He doesn't wear a uniform. There is no central command. There are no individuals one can eliminate. There is no possibility of international negotiations or agreements. Here are the people who want to hit at democratic rule and the secular world," Gohil added.